


Accidental Pickup Artist

by Pollydoodles



Series: The Pizza Dog Chronicles [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 04:39:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5953936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pollydoodles/pseuds/Pollydoodles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh my, what an absolutely gorgeous boy.” </p><p>Bucky rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with one hand as the other gripped Lucky’s leash, and didn’t know how to reply in the face of such enthusiasm. The red-headed woman in front of him dropped to her knees and fussed the Labrador. Lucky panted hot breath happily in her face and she gamely tried not to choke as he did so.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidental Pickup Artist

“Oh my, what an absolutely gorgeous boy.” 

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with one hand as the other gripped Lucky’s leash, and didn’t know how to reply in the face of such enthusiasm. The red-headed woman in front of him dropped to her knees and fussed the Labrador. Lucky panted hot breath happily in her face and she gamely tried not to choke as he did so. 

They were stood outside Starbucks and Bucky slid an uneasy gaze over to Darcy who was inside, waiting semi-patiently in the queue. The petite brunette kept flipping her head back over her shoulder at him, checking he was still there. An appreciative noise from his feet dragged Bucky’s attention downwards again. 

“He is adorable.” The woman cooed, hands tugging at Lucky’s ears but eyes looking up at the dark-haired man looming over her. “Such a-“ she paused, and she dragged her gaze all the way up Bucky’s body before speaking again. “Fine specimen.” 

“He is an American Field Labrador.” Bucky threw out, hesitantly, not entirely certain that this was information that the woman wanted to hear. He didn’t trust himself to read strangers, not most people really, and this woman was throwing all kinds of weird signals at him that he couldn’t make head nor tail of. She talked about Lucky, but looked at him when she spoke and he couldn’t work out why. 

“I love a true American bred boy.” The red-head said breathily, still on her knees. Bucky took half a step back from her and Lucky took the opportunity to slap his pink wet tongue on her, chin to ear. She grimaced slightly and tried to surreptitiously wipe the slobber from her face with her coat sleeve. Bucky grinned. He liked it when Lucky showed his feelings. That was something he could trust in, at least. 

The woman got back to her feet and leaned in towards Bucky, smiling brightly. He noticed that her lipstick matched the deep red of her hair. “I suppose he needs a lot of exercise? Lots of energy to run out, huh?” Bucky nodded slowly, his gaze slipping back to Darcy who was now at the front of the queue. He watched her as she waved her hands animatedly at the coffee-shop guy. 

“What’s his name?”

“Huh?” Bucky’s attention snapped back to the woman in front of him, who was uncomfortably close with her red painted lips and insistent eyes. He subconsciously tightened his grip on Lucky’s leash and the dog whined slightly as he was jerked back briefly. 

“Your dog. What’s he called?” The woman had backed off slightly and for that Bucky was grateful. There were really only two people he actively liked having close to him, and this woman was not one of them. He swallowed hard and wished Darcy were finished already. He could see her hanging over the counter at the end of the bar, waiting on their drinks. Her face was animated and she was talking to the barista, making him laugh as he made coffee after coffee. 

“Uh, Piz-“ Bucky cut himself off. No, it’s not Pizza Dog. Not Pizza Dog. Darcy reminded him of that just earlier. 

“Your dog is called Pete?” The redhead laughed. “That is so original. What a funny name.” She slapped him lightly on the bicep as she spoke and he stared at his arm where she’d touched it, then at her face. She smiled back at him brightly and he didn’t know whether he wanted to return it or not. He knew Steve would say that it was polite to smile, that Steve smiled at everyone, even if he didn’t like them or what they’d just said. Darcy didn’t smile at people she didn’t like, though. And Darcy wouldn’t smile at someone who made Bucky feel uncomfortable, he was sure of that. 

Bucky took a step back. 

“Hey Buck, you made a friend?” Salvation. Darcy appeared next to the redhead, a cup in each hand, bobble hat jammed over her mess of hair and a big smile on her face. 

“Darcy.” He said, with almost tangible relief. 

“Your uh, friend, doesn’t say very much, does he?” The redhead flickered her eyes over Darcy, taking in her sloppy knitted jumper, ripped jeans and boots that had definitely seen better days. The brunette silently passed over a cup to Bucky, keeping her eyes on the other woman as she did so. 

“Not really.” Darcy slipped her arm through Bucky’s and smiled. “But he did once spend an afternoon showing me 37 different ways to chop an apple with a pocket knife, so who really needs words?”


End file.
